Football was back in Berea over the weekend, as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterbacks and rookies reported early for meetings and some light onboarding. Cleveland’s veterans are scheduled to report on Tuesday, with Day 1 of head coach Todd Monken’s first training camp following on Wednesday.
There’s a lot to sort out over these next 28-plus days, starting with the battle for QB1 between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
Based on everything we learned from Monken’s spring program, let’s break out the crystal ball with some bold predictions ahead of camp.
From the quarterback battle to surprise roster cuts, here's what could happen in Berea
Dillon Gabriel prompts Browns to carry four quarterbacks into the regular season
If the Browns carry three quarterbacks, rookie Taylen Green is widely expected to be the No. 3 behind Sanders and Watson. The Browns drafted Green with the first pick of the sixth round knowing full well that he would need time to develop.
But Gabriel was clearly Cleveland's QB3 throughout OTAs, and GM Andrew Berry has already said that the "current plan is that we would roll with those four."
Let’s take him at face value here. Green needs time. The Browns need a viable third option in case of an emergency. Most expect Gabriel to eventually get traded, but he quietly had a strong enough spring to justify sticking around.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren gets a lesser role on defense than fans expect
There’s been plenty of offseason buzz around McNeil-Warren since the Browns traded up to land him in the second round. The harsh reality? He’s a rookie from a mid-major college program, and he’s firmly behind a pair of veteran safeties in Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman entering training camp.
McNeil-Warren will likely have to beat out players like Myles Harden and Myles Bryant as Cleveland’s main nickelback to see major defensive snaps in Year 1. That’s not impossible, but it’s just as likely that the Browns take a slower approach than fans expect with the former Toledo standout.
A 34-year-old fullback leads to seventh-round rookie Carsen Ryan getting waived
Browns fans, get ready to learn the name Michael Burton.
While the veteran fullback in his mid 30s could hurt the Browns’ chances of fielding the youngest 53-man roster in football this season, he has a clear path thanks to Monken’s fullback usage rates. Burton’s main competition entering camp appears to be seventh-round tight end Carsen Ryan, who will have to prove himself at an unfamiliar position to avoid missing the cut.
Logan Fano is the lone UDFA to make the initial 53-man roster
This feels like the year for the undrafted rookie in Cleveland, which has fully embraced youth and development in 2026. But Logan Fano will be the lone UDFA signing to make Monken’s roster this summer.
Fano will have plenty of company in camp, as names like Khordae Sydnor, Tyreak Sapp, Nate Evans, and Michael Coats Jr. are definitely worth watching. But none of them are related to the Browns’ No. 9 overall draft pick, Spencer Fano, nor can they match Logan’s $310,000 in guarantees.
Malachi Corley makes the team as one of Cleveland’s camp standouts
One of the most intriguing Browns camp battles will come at wide receiver, with players like Tylan Wallace, Malachi Corley, Jamari Thrash, and Luke Floriea likely competing for one or two roster spots.
Corley brings significant value on special teams as a kick returner, but his skill set also jibes well with Monken’s scheme. That helps him make the team as an added gadget threat on offense and top backup to first-round rookie KC Concepcion.
Teven Jenkins leads wire-to-wire to win Browns starting job at right guard
Cleveland's new-look offensive line will be the talk of camp, but the starting five might already be decided.
We already know that Monken plans to roll with Spencer Fano at left tackle, Zion Johnson at left guard, and Tytus Howard at right tackle. He also confirmed that Elgton Jenkins will be the starter at either center or right guard.
The Browns are clearly leaving the door open for fifth-round rookie center Parker Brailsford to impress. But Elgton Jenkins has more NFL experience than any center on the Browns’ current roster, and Teven Jenkins’ prowess as a run blocker should win Monken over in no time.
Browns sign Denzel Ward to a 4-year, $100 million extension
While it makes sense to fetch a lucrative return for Ward now entering his age-29 season, the Browns are reportedly not planning to move on from their star cornerback this year. Beat writer Mary Kay Cabot wrote over the weekend that Cleveland wants Ward to help lead the franchise into its next Super Bowl window.
The elephant in the room is that Ward is set to make $20 million this year, and none of his remaining salary is guaranteed. Ward will likely be either extended or traded this offseason, and per Browns cap guru Jack Duffin, his market value projects at around $25 million per year.
Cedric Tillman becomes a $3.6 million salary cap casualty
Tillman had a quiet spring, and that’s not necessarily a good thing after the team used pick Nos. 24 and 39 overall in the draft on wide receivers. Talent-wise, Tillman should still be one of the Browns’ top five or six receivers in camp.
The real issue is his contract. Tillman is now scheduled to earn $3.67 million via the NFL’s proven performance system. In a nutshell, his playing time earned him a non-guaranteed raise for the final year of his rookie contract.
The Browns could save all $3.67 million in cash and cap space by either waiving or trading Tillman prior to Week 1, and unless he goes bonkers in camp, that feels like the most likely scenario for a receiver who will be competing with Jerry Jeudy, Denzel Boston, Isaiah Bond, and Concepcion for meaningful reps.
KC Concepcion runs away with Browns’ main punt returner job
New Browns special teams coordinator Byron Storer called the team’s punt returner battle a two-man race between Concepcion and the returning Gage Larvadain.
It would make sense for Cleveland to want to limit the amount of punishment Concepcion takes on special teams, but he should have little trouble separating from Larvadain in a true competition this summer. The Browns should also be able to get Larvadain through waivers and onto their practice squad, which would give them some insurance and depth in the return game on a week-to-week basis.
Deshaun Watson emerges as the Browns' Week 1 starting quarterback
Sanders will continue to make things interesting, but the Browns appear set to roll with Watson, whose experience and mobility give him a slight edge in the QB competition.
The Browns invested too much in Watson to let him ride the pine all season while collecting a $46 million base salary. The battle with Sanders appears to be close entering camp, but that’s not necessarily a bad sign for Watson’s chance of starting Week 1.
Playing Sanders is best for the team in the long run. But playing Watson early against the toughest stretch of games on the Browns’ schedule makes the most sense for this year. The guess here is that Watson gets named the Week 1 starter, battles through some tough games, and gives way to Sanders at some point as the schedule gets more favorable in the second half of the year.
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